Alexis listened with interest to this long account of the Ostiacks by old Linsk but his heart really palpitated when the hunter told of the rich sable furs sent to St. Petersburgh by Dwaff Khizan, and which not only brought a great price, but won the favor of the emperor. He immediately remembered the injunction of his sister Kathinka, to be particular and get rich sable furs; and he also remembered that she had spoken of sending them to the princess Lodoiska. "After all my thinking that the girl was romantic and conceited, to fancy that she could send furs to a princess, and attract her attention, now that we are poor exiles in Siberia, perhaps she is right, and has more sense then I have. At all events, I will exert myself to procure some sable furs finer than were ever seen before. We are going to the coldest portions of Siberia, and there it is said are the most splendid furs in the world. It will be something to please Kathinka, and to relieve my father from his poverty; and, beside, I should like to beat old Linsk, vain and boastful as he is!" With this ambitious conclusion, Alexis stepped quicker and prouder over the level road, and, without thinking of it, had soon advanced considerably before his party. Coming to a place where the road divided, he took that which led to the right, as it seemed the best. He had not gone far, however, before he heard the loud call of Linsk. Stopping till the party came up, Alexis found that he had taken the wrong path. "That road," said Linsk, "leads to the great town of Tomsk; a place which has ten thousand people in it, and I may add that one half of them are drunkards. This is the more wonderful, for the people have enough to do; because the country in that quarter abounds in valuable mines. All around Tomsk there are salt lakes, and the waters are so impregnated with minerals, that the bottoms are covered with a coat as white as snow. "To the south of Tomsk, a great many miles, are some mountains, called the Altai range. In these mountains there are mines of gold and silver, and of platina, a metal more costly than gold. The mines are wrought by exiles; and, master Alexis, some of your countrymen are there, as they ought to be. You ought to thank the clemency and mercy of the emperor, for not sending you and your father there!" "Stop! stop! old man!" said Alexis; "say no more of that! say no more of that! My father ought to be sent to the mines! for what? For risking his life to save his country? For giving his wealth to Poland? For shedding his blood for liberty? Is patriotism then a crime? Shame on the emperor who makes it so!" "Tut, tut, tut, tut!" said Linsk, with an air of authority; "why, you talk rebellion, as if you had drank it in with your mother's milk. Oh dear! oh dear! what are we all coming to, when youngsters talk such pestilent stuff about liberty and patriotism? Why, what have we to do with liberty and patriotism? Let us take care to obey the emperor, and his officers, and those who are in authority, and do as the priests tell us: that's all we have to do. But never mind, boy; I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. So don't think any more of what I said about your father and the mines. I believe he's an honest and noble gentleman, though I am sorry he's so much misled. Liberty and patriotism-indeed! Bah! When I hear about liberty and patriotism, I always look well to my pockets, for they sound to my ear very much like roguery and mischief. Liberty and patriotism, forsooth! as if we common men were like wild animals, and, as soon as we are of age, had a right to set up for ourselves! No! no! we are Christians, and it is our duty to honor the emperor; we are his subjects, and he may do as he pleases with us. God bless him." "I suppose it would be glory enough," said Alexis, having recovered his good humor, "to have our heads cut off, provided it was done by command of the emperor." "Certainly," said Linsk, not discovering the irony; and here the conversation took another turn. "You were speaking of the mines," said Alexis. "Do they produce great quantities of the precious metals?" "Yes," said the old hunter, in reply. "The mines produce the value of more than ten millions of dollars a year. Not only do they yield gold, and silver, and platina, but a great deal of copper. Beside these, many precious stones are found, such as the topaz, beryl, onyx, garnets, diamonds, and green crystals as beautiful as emeralds. All these mines and all the minerals belong to the Czar, and they are wrought by his serfs and slaves, and by such exiles as are very bad and troublesome!” "Those who talk about liberty and patriotism, I suppose," said Alexis. "Yes," said Linsk, snappishly. "Well," said Alexis, "I should like to go to that country, where there are such rich minerals and precious stones. I think I could pick up enough to make myself rich." offence to the Czar. This happened in the time of Paul, near forty years ago. Well, when he came to Tobolsk, he was very poor, so he thought how he might get money and become rich. At last he heard of the mines of the mountains, and thither he went. He was careful, however, not to let anybody know his plan. He proceeded first to the Kolyvan mountains, but, as there were a great many people at work there, he was afraid of being detected in his scheme; so he proceeded farther east, until he came to a tall mountain called the Schlangenberg, which is the loftiest of the Altai range. "When he had got up to the very top of the mountain, being weary, he laid himself down to get some rest, and here he fell asleep. While in this state, a man, in the dress of a Tartar, seemed to stand before him, and, making a low bow in the Eastern fashion, said, 'What would'st thou, son of a noble house?' To this the young Russian replied'Wealth-give me wealth: with this I can purchase my liberty and return to Moscow, and live again in happiness. Give me riches: with these I could buy the very soul of the emperor, for all he desires is money.' "When the young man said this, the image smiled on one side of his face, and frowned on the other; but he answered fairly, 'Your wish shall be granted: follow me!' Upon this the Russian arose and followed thẻ mysterious stranger. They descended to the foot of the mountain, and entered a cave which was formed by nature in the rocks. It was at first a dark and gloomy room, with grizzly images around, and a fearful roar as of mighty waterfalls, tumbling amid the gashes and ravines of the mountain. But as they advanced farther, the scene gradually changed. The darkness disappeared, and at last they came to a vast chamber, which seemed glittering with thousands of lamps. The room appeared indeed like a forest turned to crystal, the branches above uniting and forming a lofty roof, in the gothic form. Nothing could exceed the splendor of the scene. The floor was strewn with precious stones of every hue, and diamonds of immense size and beauty glistened around. As the adventurer trod among them, they clashed against his feet as if he was marching amid heaps of pebbles. There were thousands of lofty columns, of a pearly transparency, which seemed to send forth an illumination like that of the moon; and these were studded with garnets, and emeralds, and rubies. "The Russian was delighted-nay, entranced. He walked along for more than an hour, and still the vast room seemed to expand and grow more gorgeous as he proceeded. The diamonds were larger, and the light more lovely, and by-and-by there came a sound of music. It was faint, but delicious; and our hero looked around for the cause of it. At last he saw what seemed a river, and on going to the border of it, he discovered that it was a stream of precious stones, where garnets, and beryls, and diamonds, and emeralds, and rubies, flowed like drops of water, in one gushing, flashing current; and as they swept along, a sort of gentle but entrancing melody stole out from them, and seemed to melt the heart with their tones. angular that they would have cut his flesh, if he had attempted to lie upon them. Pretty soon, hunger was added to the young man's wants. But how could he satisfy it? There were emeralds, and rubies, and sapphires, and diamonds, but neither meat nor bread. At last he turned around, and began to search for the way out of the grotto; first filling his pockets with the richest and rarest gems he could find. But the more he sought for the passage, the more remote he seemed to be from it. He, however, continued to wander on, but all in vain. At last he became frantic; he threw up his hands, and tore his hair, and ran fiercely from place to place, making the arches ring with his frightful screams. Take your gold, take your jewels!' said he; and give me rest, give me bread! And, repeating this by night and by day, the young man continued to run wildly from place to place; and though forty years have rolled away since he entered the enchanted cave, he is still there, and is still unable to obtain rest or appease his hunger!" 66 Is that all?" said Alexis, as the hunter paused in his narration. "Yes," said Linsk; "and let it warn you and all others not to go into the mountain, to steal the gems and the gold that belong to the emperor." "The story is a good one," said Alexis, "and no doubt it has been used "This is indeed most lovely-most to frighten people from interfering with enchanting!' said the youth to himself. the emperor's mines; but it is an alle'Well and truly has my guide perform- gory, which bears a deeper meaning to ed his promise. Saying this, he looked my mind. It teaches us that riches around for his guide, but he had disap- cannot bring rest or health, and that a peared. The young man waited for a person surrounded with gold and gems time, but his guide did not return. At may still be a most wretched being. last he began to feel weary, and cast Those very gems, indeed, may be the about for a place to lie down; but no cause of his distress, as they may have such place appeared. The floor of the been obtained by crime, or avarice, or mighty hall was covered with precious other unlawful means." stones, but they were so sharp and (To be continued.) A LION was once going to war; he had buckled on his sword, and gathered his forces, and, with the monkey and the bear supporting his long robe behind, he was proudly marching over the plain at the head of his army. As he was proceeding, it chanced that his majesty encountered a mouse, dancing merrily over the ground. The king paused, and observed the little dancer with a grim smile of satisfaction. At this the bear grumbled, and the monkey sneered, for his majesty being in a warlike humor, they thought it meet that everybody else should be so too; but they were both speedily silenced by the lion, who spoke as follows: "Why do you grumble at this pretty little fellow? See how graceful his movements are, and how cheerful is his countenance! Remember that everything has its use, and nothing is more useful than that which makes us cheerful, provided it is innocent. Even we warriors have need of cheerful excitement, for by this means we are better fitted to discharge our solemn duties. Let us not despise, then, even such sports, and amusements, and trifles, as come in our way, provided always that they are as harmless as the frisks and frolics of this little dancing-master of the meadow; and provided, too, that we never neglect business for pleasure.' Merry's Life and Adventures. CHAPTER X. A conversation about wealth and poverty.-People to be respected according to their character, not according to their circumstances. As Paul Raymond was one of the best friends I ever had, it is my desire to make my reader well acquainted with him. He was tall, thin, and bent over, his figure seeming to indicate great humility; his face was meagre and exceedingly pale; his hair black as jet, and hanging in long, thin curls down his neck. His eye was very large, and of a deep blue. The whole aspect of my friend was marked with a childlike gentleness and timidity, though his high forehead and prominent Roman nose bespoke a manly intellect. A worldly person, judging only by outward form and a first sight, had passed him by with indifference; but one who looks upon mankind as beings of soul and mind, would have been attracted by his appearance. It was so in some degree with myself, for when I first saw poor Paul, as he was called in the village, I scarcely noticed him. And for years after, I saw nothing of particular interest in his person: but now that I was on a sick bed, and had opportunity, as well as occasion, to observe him closer, he seemed to me very interesting, both in looks and manner. It was one morning after he had been putting my room in order, and, taking his book, had sat down by my bedside, that I mentioned to Paul the change of feeling I had undergone in respect to himself. "I cannot but wonder," said I, "how different you seem to me now, from what you used to do, Mr. Raymond."" Raymond. Call me Paul, boy, call me Paul! said he. We are friends now, and mister is always a mischief-maker between friends. You say I seem dif The ferent now from what I once did. change is in you, not in me. I am the same poor Paul Raymond, as before. You are something better than before this accident happened. Merry. How am I better? I think I am worse: I have been guilty of folly, and, though thoughtlessly, of crime; I have been disgraced before the whole village; my poor arm broken; I am sick and emaciated; and after all this, you tell me that I am better than before. Your R. And I tell you the truth, boy. You have suffered, it is certain; but that suffering has been like medicine to your mind and heart. You were well in body, you were full of health and spirits, but there was disease within. heart was full of selfishness and pride; you felt that you could take care of yourself, and you cared not for the sympathy of others. You have now learnt a good lesson; that pride has been humbled, and you see your dependence upon others. You see how poor and paltry pride is; and how vain is that independence, which leads us to think only of self, and to be regardless of the feelings of our fellow-men. You are more humble than before, and therefore I say you are better than before. M. Then you think humility is a good thing? R. Certainly, and pride a bad thing. God looks down upon the humble man with approbation and favor, and he sends to the humble man peace and consolation which the world cannot give or take away. God looks down upon the proud man as a fool, a creature as silly as the moth that buzzes in the flame of the lamp, only to perish in his folly. M. But this is very different from the view generally taken by mankind. The rich, the haughty, those who are successful in life, who know no sickness or misfortune, and who are seldom or never visited by sorrow-these are those |